BERLIN – Dr. Barry Tull, headmaster of Worcester Preparatory School, announced this month that Ava Schwartz, of Salisbury has been named a semifinalist in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
As a semifinalist, she will continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition and become eligible to become a National Merit Scholar.
About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. National Merit Scholarship winners of 2017 will be announced in nationwide news releases beginning in April.
“The young men and women being named Semifinalists have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “These students represent a valuable national resource. Recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”
Founded in 1970, WPS currently enrolls 550 students, Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, from Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.